216570 In pursuit of social justice: Tackling malaria misdiagnosis among children under five in Southwest Nigeria

Wednesday, November 10, 2010 : 8:48 AM - 9:06 AM

Juliet Iwelunmor , Department of Biobehavioral Health, Penn State University, University Park, PA
Oladipo Idris, MB BS , Department of Family Medicine, Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, Lagos, Nigeria
Adeniyi Adelakun, MB CHB , Department of Family Medicine, Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, Lagos, Nigeria
Collins O. Airhihenbuwa, PhD, MPH , Department of Biobehavioral Health, Penn State University, University Park, PA
Every 40 seconds a child dies of malaria, resulting in a daily loss of more than 2,000 young lives globally. Emphasis on prompt treatment with new and expensive antimalaria regimes has led to the neglect of accurate and reliable diagnosis of millions of children who are vulnerable to malaria parasites in many poor resource communities. Moreover, physicians in hospitals with poor resources resort to diagnosing malaria based on signs and symptoms that may suggest other illnesses. The purpose of this study is to determine the accuracy of maternal and physician diagnosis of malaria in a sample of 150 children less than five years attending an outpatient clinic in Southwest Nigeria. In each case of malaria-like fever, mothers' diagnosis of their children's illness are compared with physician diagnosis of the same fever followed by the use of malaria rapid diagnostic tests to confirm that the fever is indeed malaria. In this presentation, we would report on the accuracy of malaria diagnosis in children that present with fever. We would also discuss mothers' perceptions about malaria and strategy to assure more accurate diagnosis to ensure effective treatment of malaria in children. The structural and economic factors that influenced the use of malaria rapid diagnostic tests in this setting are examined. The importance of accurate and reliable detection of malaria parasites as a fundamental right of all children less than five in malaria endemic regions is discussed.

Learning Areas:
Basic medical science applied in public health
Clinical medicine applied in public health

Learning Objectives:
Compare maternal and physican's perceptions and diagnosis of child malaria. Describe the structural and economic factors that influence the use of malaria rapid diagnostic tests. Discuss the importance of accurate and reliable detection of malaria parasites in children under five in malaria endemic regions.

Keywords: International Public Health, Children's Health

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I conducted this research as part of my PhD. dissertation requirements for the completion of my PhD. degree in Biobehavioral Health. I was responsible for the recruitment of participants, data collection as well as analysis of the results of this study.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.